Page 7 (1/2)

"What the hell are you doing toWhy? Did ake you? Ouch! Cut it out!"

Marcus turned the knob and entered

A couple of wadded-up bath towels rested beside the sink Puddles of water dotted the countertop and tile floor The sliding doors to the shower/tub coh the frosted glass

Marcus crossed the room and peered over the top of the shower doors

Garbed in what appeared to be two or three layers of sweatpants and just as orously struggling Sli her a semi-dry island Sliin to swell inside hiled, and pulled back into a ponytail that listed to one side Wet, soapy splotches and cat hair speckled her shirt Her cheeks were pink, her expression harried

And Sli out in all directions in wet spikes

As soon as Slis, then leapt straight up, paws scrabbling at the shower doors in a bid to reach freedo

Ami shrieked as the maddened cat fell back toward her

Slim landed in the water beside her with a splash, then scaain

"Oh no, you don’t!" she warned, wrapping her arms around hian anew

Marcus couldn’t help it He burst into laughter, the sight they ru water over Sli him

"What in the world made you decide to bathe him?" he asked

"When he came home today his fur was matted doith I-don’t-want-to-knohat in several places, and he s her nose with such disgust he laughed again

"Why didn’t you just bathe hi away froo"

Sliled fros in preparation for another julass doors "You’re clean enough" Her eyes , Marcus grabbed a towel and caught Slilass door slid back "What about you?" he asked, wrapping the wriggling, ill-tempered bundle in the fluffy cotton

Her eyes narrowed "I can dry rimaced "After I shower Gross I’ll be out in a few minutes"

And just like that, the arousal that had tor, he left the bathroo rooreen gaze held both relief and accusation

As he dried the cranky cat, Marcus vowed to try harder to avoid any and all contact with his new Second

Ami hadn’t seen Marcus in two days, not since the incident with Sliry because she had bathed his cat?

More likely he sih and kept her frorow frustrated and insist on leaving

A board creaked in the hallway

Ami’s head snapped in that direction Aha!

As quietly as she could, she tiptoed out of the study, down the hallway, and into the ar just in time to see Marcus--clad only in socks, boxer shorts, and a T-shirt--stepping into specially designed pants that afforded complete protection froht she slept during the day, must have borrowed one of the d’Alençons’ suits, and intended to head out before she woke

"Leaving early?" she asked

His head jerked up Frustration swept across his handsoaze fell to his thighs as he tugged the pants up over the of curly dark hair

Heat blossomed within her Would that hair be soft or coarse?

Before she could speculate on what his black silk boxers hid, the heavy rabbed the rubber shirt while Marcus zipped up the pants The enseh, auto the suits because they were so hot and uncomfortable, so heto be stuck in one all night

Marcus frohen she held up the shirt, front open

Turning away, he shoved his ar it up over his broad shoulders